Elijah

Three years later. November 2015.

I was enjoying a stick of cigarette when Brad taps my shoulder to let me know someone is taking a photo of me. I closed my eyes, stood up from the ground, and hit the cigarette one last time before throwing it away. I glared at the man holding a professional camera with a disgusted look on my face before going back inside. I am out in the club with my friends after completing my degree at the University of Oxford after three long years. My grandparents flew here from South Korea to attend my graduation ceremony. I haven't been to South Korea since I started college. The last time I was home was during my gap year, and since then, I never came back. It has been three years since the last time I set foot in Korea, almost three years since I last saw my family back home.

A lot of things happened in three years while I was away from Seoul. My grandfather's power and influence increase immensely after several significant expansions in his chains of business from different industries not only in South Korea but also within the neighboring country. Yang Hyun-suk and YG Entertainment faced a lot of controversy over the years but still managed to be on the Big 3 of the entertainment business. The only thing that didn't come his way is his new girl group project. The girl group's debut got canceled several times in the past three years. The 9-member girl group is now broken into pieces as four of them left the program after several delays and personal problems. The only members left from the original group are Jennie, Miyeon, Jisoo, Lisa, and Chaeyoung. The girls stayed connected with me except for Jennie. Lisa visited me in London when her family went to Switzerland to spend Christmas vacation. I spent several times in Switzerland whenever Lisa's mother and stepfather were there, even if Lisa is not with them. He also visited Chaeyoung in Melbourne when she went back home for the first since signing her trainee contract. Jisoo and Elijah remained best of friends even without constant phone calls like they used to have before. The girls also tried to fix my broken friendship with Jennie, but nothing happened as both of us tried to avoid any form of communication with each other. I decided not to asked anything about Jennie whenever I'm on the line with the girls. Jisoo is the only person who regularly gave me information even without me asking. She knows me through and through.

I lived my life in Oxford the way I wanted. I had become Oxford's It Boy, a familiar face in most exclusive clubs and bars around London. I am considered a celebrity in the area as I covered several fashion magazines and attended several fashion shows within my three-year stay in Oxford. I was seen hanging out a lot with celebrity A-listers, and a single photo of me smoking or drinking will earn anyone a fortune from different photo agencies. My friends call me Paparazzo's favorite boy, putting a pun on his Nation's favorite boy nickname given by the K-media. I had become the subject of the different news outlets in South Korea as the famous grandson of a dominant and influential family goes through a rebellious state while living abroad. My father and grandfather were furious, but no one could stop me. My father even threatened me by cutting my finances, but I just laughed it off. Eventually, both my father and grandfather gave up on stopping me and just asked me to finish school and never do things that will get me and the business in trouble. I'm now a completely different person from what I was three years ago. I did things I never did before. I lived my life like a freeman, away from my grandfather's control.

I woke up in an unfamiliar room. I looked around and closed my eyes again after feeling the heaviness in my head. I'm not surprised anymore considering all the liquor I consumed at the party. I can't even remember what happened last night. I gave up in trying to remember what happened and opens my eyes again. I saw a woman lying next to me. I looked for my phone and saw hundreds of text messages and missed calls. . What is it this time? Did I do something crazy last night? I closed my eyes and tried my best to remember what happened last night. I was in that state when my phone rang and saw Jisoo's name. I answered the call and the camera without giving much thought. I was surprised after seeing Jennie's face, but she was more surprised by what she witnessed. I saw Jennie's annoyed look changed into a disgusted one. I then realized I was in bed with a woman next to me. I immediately pulled the sheet and covered the body of my companion in bed. I stood up fast and looked for my clothes to cover my body before going back to Jennie. I tried to smile at Jennie, but I was given a death stare before she started talking.

"Stop being an and come back home. Your grandmother is sick, and she is refusing to get treatment, so get your filthy back here in Seoul." She then dropped the call immediately.

I laughed loud after the call. One thing is for sure; Jennie is furious. She never swears, and I never saw her that angry before. I checked my phone and saw photos of me chugging a bottle of whiskey and tequila at the same time. I saw a picture of me making out with some girl I don't even remember who. I was also tagged in a news article about my grandmother being taken to the hospital. My grandmother always pulls that trick on me whenever she wants me to come home. I never fall for it as I know that if it is something serious, it won't be published as my grandfather will surely prevent it from coming out in the news. I'll call my Grandma later. I whistle while walking towards the door. I saw Jennie's face first thing in the morning, what a lucky day for me. I'm in Paris right now, the place I've been staying since I graduated from college five months ago. People thought I would be back in Seoul after graduating, but everyone was wrong. I have no plan of coming back to Seoul yet. I have no intention of working for my family soon. I plan to live his life the way I want to as long as I want. I'm eating alone right now while appreciating the Eiffel Tower. I've been eating alone for months now as my friends started living the adult life. It has been months since I last saw them. I remembered my last conversation with Scott.

"When will you come home? You've been here in Paris doing nothing but spend every night partying. It's time for you to go home and face reality, mate." I'm hanging out with Scott, drinking in the apartment unit I've been staying since graduating.

"I don't know. I'm happy here. This is the happiest I have ever been in my life. I'm living the life I always wanted." I answered him while drinking a bottle of beer.

Scott opened another bottle before answering. "Are you happy, or are you trying to make yourself believe that you are happy? Are you living the life you always wanted, or are you living the life you're trying to believe you want? You've been fooling yourself for three years already. You're not happy, El. Stop torturing yourself and go home."

I stood up near the window and looked at the Eiffel Tower. This is Jennie's dream travel destination. This is why I'm here. I'm hoping to fill the void in my heart by spending time at her dream place.

"Stop living in the past, mate. Stop being a coward and face her. Forget what happened before and fight for her this time. We miss our brother we met 11 years ago. This is not you." Scott says before turning on the television.

Elijah is in that thought when his phone vibrates. He received a text message from his uncle. "Come home."